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How do you get a smooth finish on an interior door?

To have a smooth finish on an interior door you need:

  • Choose the right paint, brush and paint roller
  • Clean the door
  • Fill holes and scratches on wooden doors, polish the wood surface carefully with sandpaper
  • Thoroughly clean the dirt
  • Apply primer
  • Remove defects after priming, second primer
  • Proceed to paint to get a smooth finish on an interior door

Maybe you will have to install a new door or you want to change the paint color of the door at home. You also know the steps to paint a wooden door. But it’s actually pretty hard to get a smooth finish. There are things you don’t seem to notice, but they are very important. So, how do you get a smooth finish on an interior door? Handtoolshouse will show you the key points in the article below!

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How do you get a smooth finish on an interior door?

Related:

Tool:

  • Bucket
  • Dust mask
  • Orbital Grinder
  • Paint brush
  • Paint roller
  • Paint scraper
  • Knife
  • Rag
  • Sleeve Roller
  • Roller tray
  • Sanding block
  • Tweezers
  • Sandpaper
  • primer
  • paint
  • Sand filler

Choose the right paint, brush and paint roller

To get a smooth finish on an interior door you definitely have to have a good paint and match the wood material. Not any paint when painted on wood will give a smooth surface. In particular, you should choose a primer that comes with colored paint. A good combination of these two paints will create a perfect finish.

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You should also choose for yourself a good paint brush and roller

You should also choose for yourself a good paint brush and roller. Although the price will be quite high, it gives you a door with a perfect finish.

Do not use a paint brush because it will leave unsightly brush marks. The roller will help spread the paint evenly, making the new paint smooth and even, without bumpy surfaces. Using a roller with a round end also makes it easier for you to thread into the nooks and crannies of the door.

You should use rollers for both primer paint. Foam roller is the best choice, it helps the paint to be spread evenly and perfectly smooth. In case the roller is difficult to reach the corners, crevices, carvings, you can use a small brush instead.

Clean the door surface

You cannot have a smooth finish on an interior door if the wood surface is dirty. For good paint adhesion, the first and most important step is to clean the old door, especially the grease stains on it. Even the best paint does not adhere well to oil and dirt.

Before filling in termite damage or priming the door, you need to scrub the entire door with a heavy-duty household cleaner. Let the door dry completely, then proceed to the next step.

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You should conduct sanding thoroughly to completely remove the old paint layer

If you want to repaint an old door. After cleaning, let the door dry completely. You proceed to scrape off the old paint, scrape off the old paint completely and use 220 grit sandpaper to lightly sand the surface of the door.

If the wood surface has been painted, then you should conduct sanding thoroughly to completely remove the old paint layer, avoiding the case that the paint on top will be blistered.

Fill holes and scratches on wooden doors, polish wood surface carefully with sandpaper

Brush off the old paint that has just been scrubbed away and proceed to fill in the holes or scratches. Fill holes and dents with sand filler. Fill the small dent with a spackling compound.

You can use MH Ready Patch. With deep holes and dents, it is recommended to fill it twice to avoid shrinkage resulting in uneven door surfaces.

You might assume that new paint will hide minor dents and scratches, but it won’t quite do it. On the contrary, in reality, the new paintwork highlights minor flaws.

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We must use fine armor paper because if it is too rough when sanding

If you want your wooden door after finishing the paint to have the desired smoothness, you need to be very careful. Especially the process of using sandpaper. The purpose is to create a roughness that helps the paint adhere better and remove impurities from the surface.

We must use fine armor paper because if it is too rough when sanding, it will create deep scratches and it is difficult to fill. That way the door will look very bad. Let’s tear it into small pieces for easy scrubbing.  And remember to use work gloves.

However, you should note that, do not sand the background for too long. Because this will cause dents that lose the shape of the wood surface of the product compared to the original, and when applying primer, paint will not be as uniform as desired.

Thoroughly clean dirt

In order for the primer film to be beautiful, when touching, it feels really smooth. Before applying the primer, you need to clean it to remove dirt from the wood surface. To make dust cleaning work take place most efficiently and quickly;

Furniture painting experts recommend using a wet cloth to wipe it and then continue using a dry cloth to ensure that the wood surface is completely free of dirt. This will make the primer adhere better to the surface.

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You must be careful not to use water for cleaning

You can also use some type of scouring machine to clean the dirt. These types of machines usually have a dust collector and a brush. However, you must be careful not to use water for cleaning. Water will prevent the paint from sticking to the wood surface.

Apply primer

Primer will help the paint have better coverage and stick to the surface more easily. Primer prevents stains, covers dark old paint and helps new paint stick better. It helps to keep the new paint even and smooth.

You can use an oil-based primer with a water-based paint. It is best to use an oil-based primer followed by latex paint. For the primer color, choose a neutral color or a lighter color than the color you want to paint.

When priming, you need to pay attention to paint evenly all over the wood surface. You need to pay attention to how long it takes for the primer you paint to dry. For best results, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

If you don’t know how long the primer will take to dry, wait 48 hours before starting on the next coat.

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Primer will help the paint have better coverage and stick to the surface more easily

To ensure the painting process goes smoothly and the results are as desired, you should use a small roller to apply a layer of primer on the surface. In case the roller is difficult to reach the corners, crevices, carvings, you can use a small brush instead.

Remove defects after priming, second primer

How do you get a smooth finish on an interior door? That is, you must completely eliminate the problems that make the door surface not smooth.

After the primer dries, it will be easier to see the defects on the door surface. This is also the time to deal with the shortcomings.

After the primer dries, recheck the door under the light. If any further marks are detected then you need to cover them with a polishing compound, then sand and prime these areas again with the same old roller or brush. To ensure the interior door after painting is more smooth!

You should use 240 grit sandpaper to sand the surface of the door and fix the imperfections. It is best to shine the light on the door from all angles to find the fastest defect!

Primer for the 2nd time

For a really smooth final coat, you should apply another coat of primer. This primer should be applied thinly to create the best smoothness and the most evenly spread paint layer!

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This primer should be applied thinly to create the best smoothness

After you have finished painting, you should let the paint dry according to the time specified by the manufacturer and specified on the product packaging. Then, continue to use sandpaper to smooth the surface of the wood that has bubbles or lumps during the painting process.

Finally, clean the surface with a soft cloth. If there are foreign objects or insects on the paint, use tweezers to gently remove them.

Proceed to paint to get a smooth finish on an interior door

After the second coat of primer has dried. Use a paint color and type of paint that matches your pre-selected primer to paint the door.

You will have a smooth finish on an interior door

Grab your paint and start painting on the door. Paint brushes will leave unsightly brush marks. The roller will help spread the paint evenly, making the new paint smooth and even, without bumpy surfaces.

Using a roller with a round end also makes it easier for you to thread into the nooks and crannies of the door. After painting, leave the door in a cool space for the paint to dry completely before use.

Conclusion

Painting doors is an interesting job, but it’s really not that simple. How do you get a smooth finish on an interior door?

We have covered the best methods for you in this article. Hopefully, you’ll have a smooth finish on an interior door!

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